Partisan composition of state legislatures
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The partisan composition of state legislatures refers to which political party holds the majority of seats in each state Senate and state House. Altogether, there are 1,973 state senators and 5,413 state representatives.
Sixty-one state legislative chambers around the country have an even number of members, raising the possibility of a tie between the two major parties. In some instances, a bipartisan coalition of legislators is formed to act as leadership.[1] This tactic has not been the universal approach, however; some legislative bodies have used a coin toss, gubernatorial choice, shared time, choosing co-leaders, or dividing chairperson positions between the parties.[2]
A state government trifecta is a term to describe single party government, when one political party holds the position of governor and majorities in both of the state's legislative chambers.
As of September 2, 2024, there are 23 Republican trifectas, 17 Democratic trifectas, and 10 divided governments where neither party holds trifecta control.
Cumulative numbers
As of September 2nd, 2024, Republicans controlled 54.86% of all state legislative seats nationally, while Democrats held 44.25%. Republicans held a majority in 56 chambers, and Democrats held the majority in 41 chambers. Two chambers (Alaska House and Alaska Senate) were organized under multipartisan, power-sharing coalitions.
| Partisan balance of all 7,386 state legislative seats | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legislative chamber | 
|
|
 Other
|
Vacant | ||||
| State senates | 844 | 1,114 | 4 | 11 | ||||
| State houses | 2,424 | 2,938 | 19 | 32 | ||||
| Total: | 3,268
|
4,052
|
23
|
43 | ||||
State Senates
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
The partisan composition of state senates refers to which political party holds the majority of seats in the state senate. Altogether, in the 50 state senates, there are 1,973 state senators.
Cumulative numbers
As of August 7, 2024, 1,958 state senators were affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties. This total is updated monthly.
| Partisan balance of all 7,386 state legislative seats | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legislative chamber |
|
|
Other
|
Vacant | ||||
| State senates | 844 | 1,114 | 4 | 11 | ||||
| State houses | 2,424 | 2,938 | 19 | 32 | ||||
| Total: | 3,268
|
4,052
|
23
|
43 | ||||
Vacancies
As of August 7, 2024, there were nine state senate vacancies in eight states. This total is updated monthly.
| State | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Iowa | 1 |
| Minnesota | 1 |
| Missouri | 2 |
| New York | 1 |
| New York | 1 |
| Rhode Island | 1 |
| Vermont | 1 |
| Wisconsin | 1 |
Minor party
As of August 7, 2024, there were four state senators in four states identifying as independents or parties other than Democratic and Republican. This total is updated monthly.
| State | Independents/Minor party |
|---|---|
| Nebraska | 1 (nonpartisan) |
| Oregon | 1 (Independent) |
| South Carolina | 1 (Independent) |
| Vermont | 1 (Vermont Progressive Party) |
State Houses
- See also: Partisan composition of state houses
The partisan composition of state houses refers to which party holds the majority of seats in the state house or the lower level of each state legislature. Altogether, in the 49 state houses, there are 5,413 state representatives.
Cumulative numbers
As of August 7, 2024, 5,362 state representatives were affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties. This total is updated monthly.
| Partisan balance of all 7,386 state legislative seats | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legislative chamber |
|
|
Other
|
Vacant | ||||
| State senates | 844 | 1,114 | 4 | 11 | ||||
| State houses | 2,424 | 2,938 | 19 | 32 | ||||
| Total: | 3,268
|
4,052
|
23
|
43 | ||||
Vacancies
As of August 7, 2024, there were 27 state house vacancies in 16 different states. This total is updated monthly.
| State | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 |
| Arizona | 1 |
| California | 1 |
| Hawaii | 1 |
| Idaho | 1 |
| Maine | 3 |
| Maryland | 2 |
| Massachusetts | 1 |
| Minnesota | 2 |
| Minnesota | 1 |
| New Hampshire | 2 |
| New Hampshire | 5 |
| New York | 2 |
| North Carolina | 1 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 |
| West Virginia | 1 |
Minor party
As of August 7, 2024, there were 20 state representatives in seven states identifying as independents or parties other than Democratic and Republican. This total is updated monthly.
| State | Independents/Minor party |
|---|---|
| Alaska | 4 (Independent), 1 (Nonpartisan) |
| Maine | 1 (Independent), 1 (Independent for Maine Party) |
| Massachusetts | 1 (Independent) |
| Mississippi | 2 (Independent) |
| New Hampshire | 1 (Independent), 1 (No affiliation) |
| Oregon | 1 (Independent Party of Oregon) |
| Rhode Island | 1 (Independent) |
| Vermont | 2 (Vermont Progressive Party), 3 (Independent), 1 (Libertarian) |
Changes in the number of seats
2022
- See also: Redistricting
As a result of redistricting conducted after the 2020 census, the number of state legislative seats in the country changed. Wyoming's new state legislative maps created one new Senate seat and two new House seats, resulting in 31 state Senators and 62 state Representatives. This increased the number nationally to 7,386 legislators—1,973 state senators and 5,413 state representatives.
It is relatively uncommon for states to change their numbers of legislators during redistricting. New York increased its number of state Senators by one after both the 2010 and 2000 censuses. After the 2000 census, two states—North Dakota and Rhode Island—reduced their number of legislators in both chambers.
Trifectas
- See also: State government trifectas
The following table shows the status of state government—divided control, Democratic trifecta, or Republican trifecta—in each state. It also includes the year of the last change to each state's trifecta status.
| Trifecta status by state | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Trifecta status | Year of last status change | |
| Alabama | Republican trifecta | 2011 | |
| Alaska | Divided government | 2015 | |
| Arizona | Divided government | 2023 | |
| Arkansas | Republican trifecta | 2015 | |
| California | Democratic trifecta | 2011 | |
| Colorado | Democratic trifecta | 2019 | |
| Connecticut | Democratic trifecta | 2011 | |
| Delaware | Democratic trifecta | 2009 | |
| Florida | Republican trifecta | 2011 | |
| Georgien | Republican trifecta | 2005 | |
| Hawaii | Democratic trifecta | 2011 | |
| Idaho | Republican trifecta | 1995 | |
| Illinois | Democratic trifecta | 2019 | |
| Indiana | Republican trifecta | 2011 | |
| Iowa | Republican trifecta | 2017 | |
| Kansas | Divided government | 2019 | |
| Kentucky | Divided government | 2019 | |
| Louisiana | Republican trifecta | 2024 | |
| Maine | Democratic trifecta | 2019 | |
| Maryland | Democratic trifecta | 2023 | |
| Massachusetts | Democratic trifecta | 2023 | |
| Michigan | Democratic trifecta | 2023 | |
| Minnesota | Democratic trifecta | 2023 | |
| Mississippi | Republican trifecta | 2012 | |
| Missouri | Republican trifecta | 2017 | |
| Montana | Republican trifecta | 2021 | |
| Nebraska | Republican trifecta | 1999 | |
| Nevada | Divided government | 2023 | |
| New Hampshire | Republican trifecta | 2020 | |
| New Jersey | Democratic trifecta | 2018 | |
| New Mexico | Democratic trifecta | 2019 | |
| New York | Democratic trifecta | 2019 | |
| North Carolina | Divided government | 2017 | |
| North Dakota | Republican trifecta | 1995 | |
| Ohio | Republican trifecta | 2011 | |
| Oklahoma | Republican trifecta | 2011 | |
| Oregon | Democratic trifecta | 2013 | |
| Pennsylvania | Divided government | 2015 | |
| Rhode Island | Democratic trifecta | 2013 | |
| South Carolina | Republican trifecta | 2003 | |
| South Dakota | Republican trifecta | 1995 | |
| Tennessee | Republican trifecta | 2011 | |
| Texas | Republican trifecta | 2003 | |
| Utah | Republican trifecta | 1985 | |
| Vermont | Divided government | 2017 | |
| Virginia | Divided government | 2022 | |
| Washington | Democratic trifecta | 2017 | |
| West Virginia | Republican trifecta | 2017 | |
| Wisconsin | Divided government | 2019 | |
| Wyoming | Republican trifecta | 2011 | |
Percentage of Americans living under trifecta government
The chart below shows the percentage of the population living under Democratic trifectas, Republican trifectas, and divided governments. Population figures are taken from the U.S. Census Bureau's July 2020 estimates.[3]
| Percent of Americans living under trifectas as of January 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Democratic trifectas | Republican trifectas | Divided governments | |
| Population | 328,771,307[4] | 136,955,272 | 134,703,519 | 57,112,516 |
| Proportion (%) | 100% | 41.7% | 41.0% | 17.4% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau | ||||
Election breakdowns
Click here for more on changes to partisan control of state legislative chambers over time.
See also
- Historical partisan composition of state legislatures
- Partisan composition of state senates
- Historical partisan composition of state senates
- Partisan composition of state houses
- Historical partisan composition of state houses
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Alaska State Senate, "Senate Bipartisan Working Group," accessed June 14, 2012
- ↑ Governing, "How Tied Chambers Affect States," June 9, 2011
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "State Population Totals: 2010-2020," accessed January 9, 2024
- ↑ Excludes the 712,816 inhabitants of Washington, D.C.
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